Project: Transparency and Integrity in Service Delivery in Africa (TISDA)
TISDA Globally
It is an initiative of Transparency International (A global coalition against corruption) with headquarters in Berlin and many National Chapters in countries of the world. The programme was designed to support African civil society by working with citizens, using the right-based approach, to demand transparent and accountable financial management. The end goal is to improve basic service delivery and end diversion of funds for private interests.
Implementation: The project is presently being implemented by eight African countries, with three working in Education sector, another three working in the health sector while two countries are working in water supply. TISDA is a three year project, spanning through June 2008 to July 2011. It is funded by Transparency International.
TISDA in Nigeria
Transparency In Nigeria (TIN, the Nigeria chapter of Transparency International)’s decision to work on UBE in the implementation of TISDA in Nigeria might not be farfetched from the backdrop on the doubt about the possibility of Nigeria attaining the EFA and the MDG of the universal primary access by 2015. The non-attainment doubt is established on identified key indicators of access, revealed in deficit ratio of pupil-classroom, pupil-toilet and pupil-teacher. Research has also shown that the inability is compounded by the huge numbers of children outside the school walls and the high gender disparity in school enrolment and completion.
The implementation of TISDA in Nigeria focuses on transparency, integrity and accountability in the implementation of UBE in Nigeria. It aims to examine forms of waste, inefficiency and corruption in the use of UBE funds. It aims to recommend how local accountability mechanisms and instruments can be made more effective in the eradication of corruption in UBE in Nigeria.
The project inception programme held in Johannesburg, South Africa in September, 2008, had in attendance two key Executive members of TIN. They were inducted on the entire TISDA project implementation components and the Memorandum of Understanding on the TISDA implementation was signed into agreement by the funder and TIN.
The TISDA preliminary research stage was intended to gather evidence and the understanding that will inform decisions about the priorities and detailed methodology for the main research phase. TISDA was implemented in three states in Nigeria at this stage- Enugu, Oyo and Plateau States. The awareness on the presence of TISDA in Nigeria was also created at the National level in Abuja, by the meeting of the Education Stakeholders. Activities at this stage involved:
- Review of existing literature to generate information on UBE policies, legislations and administration.
- Roundtables of Education Stakeholders in Abuja, Enugu, Ibadan and Jos to introduce the programme to Nigeria populace and most especially the UBE Stakeholders. The platform was also exploited to engage all categories of UBE on discussion on the accountability and integrity state of UBE in Nigeria and to make suggestions on the way forward.
- The Community research was conducted in four Local Government areas of each of the three focal states. Interviews were carried out on UBE pupils and parents; community leaders; religious leaders; UBE Principals, head teachers and teachers; Local Government Education Secretaries; UBE Board (UBEB) Desk officers and representatives of the UBEB Chairpersons. This enabled elicit of information on Governance and School service delivery standards in UBE schools.
TISDA contact person in Transparency In Nigeria:
E-mail: tisda@ti-nigeria.org